Life is Like a Game of Chance
by OctaBear
Summary: Au: Mira's life has been downhill ever since Lisanna died. But when Laxus introduces her to his old friend, Freed, her life begins to change for the better, at least for a while.


**I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL (sadly)**

* * *

Life is like a game of chance, you can either take a leap of faith and see where it lands you, or sit in the safety of your own home and wait for life to come knocking, whether you chose to answer it or not, that's your choice.

I've taken many chances, always gambling with my life, it doesn't really bother you until it affects someone you love. Then it all changes, you look at life more carefully, cherish the small things and take a break to stop and smell the metaphorical roses.

* * *

I picked up the small photo graph on my bedside table, noting how it felt, worn with use.

I saw a younger version of me, staring back with a goofy smile on her face, my late younger sister was on my right, smiling widely at the camera. My older brother was on the left of me, his tanned arm draped over our shoulders. That was a time when everything made sense, when I wasn't ashamed of myself, when I wasn't afraid of tarnishing the Strauss name, I didn't have to worry about things like that before.

As I matured, my body matured with me, and my father demanded I found a suitor, I had dreaded the day. There was only one boy who had my affections, a boy I had only met once, and a boy I had never learned the name of. All I can remember is his green hair.

I glanced over at my alarm clock, even with its faint, welcoming glow, I still despised it. It was six in the morning, an hour before I had to go to work.

Regretfully, I got up from my bed and walked the short distance to the bathroom door. The bathroom was unbecomingly cheerful for my mood, as it was every day. I looked in the mirror and was greeted by a pair of dull blue eyes, the happy spark in them long gone.

* * *

I stood behind the bar in one of the most pretentious country clubs in Magnolia, Fairy Tail. I had worked there for a year now, and I knew almost every regular member by name.

I put on my fake smile, one I had become accustomed to wearing at work. I was Mirajane Strauss, barmaid at Fairy Tail, the happy-go-lucky girl.

Laxus, a blonde stud, walked up to the bar looking almost as pretentious as the country club. Despite how he acted, he was one of my few friends who had supported me through all of my family issues.

"How's it going Mira?" he used the nickname he had made up for her when they were kids.

"The bar's been pretty slow, not _everyone _wants an alcoholic drink at seven in the morning." I rolled my eyes and gave him one of my rare genuine smiles.

"What can I say," he shrugged "It's five o'clock somewhere. I'll take my regular."

His regular was a beer. I turned to the shelf behind me, harboring its wide assortment of alcoholic beverages and plucked a beer off the shelf at eye level.

I handed it to Laxus "Do you need me to take the top off for you, your majesty?" I teased, doing a little curtsy.

He waved a hand as if he was dismissing me, "That will be all for today, peasant." He placed a five dollar bill on the wooden counter, "Keep the change, I know you live off of it anyway."

"Oh much appreciated your highness. " I placed the bill in the antique register, it was looking empty today.

Laxus took a seat on the cushioned bar stool in front of me and took a swig from his bottle.

"My old friend Freed is back in town for a couple days," he looked up at me "You met him once, I think."

"Freed…" I contemplated the name. "I can't remember anyone by that name. Refresh my memory."

"I'm not surprised; you only met him once, for a day at the most. You were seven back then if I recall correctly."

"What does he look like?"

"Green hair, it's short now, but it used to be down his back."

_Green Hair; _I suddenly felt intrigued, like I was drawn to this Freed character.

"I'd like to meet him."

"Great, I'll pick you up at eight, we're meeting him here" he looked at my uniform, "wear something nice."

"Thanks." I hope he could notice the sarcastic tone in my voice, but then again he was pretty dense.

He stood and picked up his beer "I'm going to go golf."

I raised my eyebrows "Golf?"

He put his elbow on the bar "I've decided to try something new. You know, put myself out there a bit."

"Yeah, you have fun with that."

* * *

I pulled open my closet door and rummaged through it, searching for something to wear. My hand touched something soft and I pulled it out. My old red dress, a small smile came across my face at the old memories it brought back.

Lisanna, finding a birds egg, it was blue with tiny white spots. Her face was lit up and she looked up at me with a wide smile, her front tooth was missing and in its place, a small white tooth was starting to poke through her gums.

"Will it hatch and become a flying cat?" she looked at the egg "I'm going to name him Happy."

I started laughing and poked her nose, "Do you even know what flying cats eat?"

"Duh, fish!"

"Since when did you get so smart?" I joked.

She puffed out her cheeks "Since forever!"

"Lisanna..." my eyes started tearing up. I wiped away the tears and started digging through my closet again.

I had finally decided on a dress, it was blue, like my eyes. I laid it down on my bed and took off my uniform, tossing it into my hamper. The dress fit perfectly, defining all my curves. It was really revealing, but I'd have to get over it, this was the only dress that deemed "nice" in Laxus terms.

I picked out a pair of black high heels, making my below average height normal. I walked over to my full length mirror, enjoying the _click – click _my heels made.

I grabbed my bangs with my left hand and tied them into a short upward ponytail (You guys all know what I'm talking about) It was my signature hairstyle after all.

As I was rummaging around in my drawer for a hair brush, I found my old journal. I felt the corners of my mouth get tugged upward as I sat on the bed, the pink material felt soft in my hands. I opened the page to my last entry.

* * *

_The funeral for Lisanna was unbearable. I just wanted to run out of there, she can't be dead, it's not possible. My only glimmer of hope now was the green hair. It was always so close I felt that if I reached far enough I could touch it, but I just ended up falling into a dark and deep trench of nothingness. _

_Father keeps pushing suitors on me, saying I have to bear a son and carry on the Strauss name. He doesn't seem to understand that I don't want a suitor. Even my best friend Laxus, his handsome face, his attempts to woo me, I pushed them away. I would only settle for the boy with green hair, the boy whose face only appeared to me in dreams, than would dance out of my mind the moment I awoke. _

* * *

I looked up when I heard a loud knock on my door. I tucked the journal under my pillow and quickly brushed my hair than ran over to the door.

It was Laxus, his hair as spiked up as normal, but something seemed different, he seemed more grown up, standing in front of me in a suit and tie, he actually seemed kind-of… attractive.

"Wow Mira, you look amazing." His eyes trailed up and down and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You look pretty good yourself."

"Well hopefully you can keep your hands to yourself at dinner."

I put my hand on his cheek and whispered as seductively as I could manage without bursting out laughing "Well I guess we'll see."

His face turned slightly red, but somehow in his twisted mind, he found a way to counter attack.

I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist as he pulled me against him so our bodies were squished against each other, my breasts were uncomfortably squashed against his chest. He leaned down our faces were now centimeters apart, and I could feel the heat rising to my face. His hot breath fanned across my face and he closed the few centimeters between us as he forcefully pressed his lips against mine.

He stayed there for a few seconds then he pulled away.

I pouted at him, how dare he take advantage of me. "Not fair Laxus, I wasn't prepared."

"You had it coming, and besides, it's not like it's the first time we've kissed." A smug look was on his face.

I hit his chest with a balled up fist, forcing him to let go of me. He let go and I stumbled backwards into the couch. "Can we just go?"

He pointed out the still open door. "Ladies first."

I walked out the door and I felt Laxus smack my butt. I turned around and stuck my hand on my hip

"Can you please refrain from touching me intimately for one minute?"

"But if I don't," he put a hand on my head "who will?"

My face began heating up "T-tons of people would want to!"

"You mean like all those drunks you serve beer to at Fairy Tail?"

"Hey, you're one of those drunks!"

"And I touch you intimately, further proving my theory."

I walked out the door, signaling that the conversation was over. Laxus followed behind me and shut the door, locking it with his key. Why he had a key to my apartment was beyond me, he made a copy the day I signed the lease for it.

* * *

The elevator ride was torturously long; it seemed a person got on every other floor. The doors would slowly slide open; people would walk in and stare at the beautiful short girl exposing too much skin, and the tall handsome blonde man, standing next to her in a suit and tie, then the doors would slowly slide closed and the elevator would make it's slow decent to the ground floor.

I felt something brush against my right arm and looked to see a greasy looking man, leaning against the elevator for support and he had a beer bottle wrapped in a brown bag clutched in his right hand, obviously he was drunk. His glazed vision went around the elevator and stopped when it landed on me. A creepy smirk snuck onto his face and he took a swig from his bottle, his face was suddenly in front of mine and his breath fanned across my face, strongly smelling of alcohol.

"Sup sweet cheeks. How 'bout I show you a good time," he looked around the elevator "right here, right now."

I felt someone grab my left shoulder and pull me to their chest, an arm immediately wrapped around my waist and pulled me in closer. Laxus glared daggers at the drunken fool.

"She's taken." His words seemed so sincere even though I knew his was lying, but nonetheless, I could feel the heat slowly rising to my cheeks.

He put his hands up in defeat, "My bad," he eyed Laxus, sizing him up, "I don't have sex with ugly girls anyway."

_Ugly _

I shook my head _it's okay Mira, he doesn't actually mean it. He's drunk he has no idea what he's saying._

Laxus's fist flew through the air and hit the man's jaw, and it cracked loudly. His fist was now at his side clenched. "No one calls my girl ugly! She's prettier than any hooker you've ever been with!"

I felt my eyes grow wide and I looked up at Laxus, he looked completely serious.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened.

"This is my stop!" the drunken man swayed out the door and it slid shut behind him.

We were alone in the elevator now, Laxus let go of me and put a hand behind his neck awkwardly.

"Laxus..." he removed his gaze from the doors and let it rest on me

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

He gave me his signature smile and patted me on the head. "No problem!"

I could almost imagine my heart at that moment, deflating and then suddenly all the air would come out with a loud comedic fart noise. _It really was just an act... Wait, why am I thinking about this! Kyaa was I actually hoping he had feelings for me? Good God Mira, what goes on in that twisted mind of yours! Get a hold of yourself, Laxus __**doesn't **__and __**never **__will have feelings for you! Do you understand!_

A hand waved in front of my face, and my train of thought was broken.

"Earth to Mira, this is our stop."

I blinked and nodded at him, "Right," I swallowed against the lump beginning to form in my throat. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

**So what do you think? I know I've been gone for forever yadda yadda yadda, what does that even mean. It sounds like something Niki Minaj would say in her songs. **

**So here is my newwww story? :)**

**Its kinda like and AU based on Mira, like if she wasn't a wizard and didn't have all her friends to cheer her up after Lisanna was gone. I can't decide if Laxus or Freed should be her main love interest. I feel terrrrible having to choose between them though!**

**Umm I'm not sure when a new chapter will be up, knowing me, probably never. BUT I ALREADY HAVE 600 WORDS WRITTEN FOR IT SOOO YAY ME. Please review a lot, it honestly makes me really happy and very motivated, so if you want more chapters, you know what to do (hint hint, review) **


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